...an award-nominated Irish blog on Irish history and Irish politics-from today and yesterday:all 32 Counties !Updated a number of times each week . (Mirror site here)

" A wealth of information..."

"1169 And Counting is a wealth of information on our Republican past and present , and demonstrates how the Irish political landscape , like that of any nation, will never be a black and white issue..."

IRISH BLOG AWARDS 2017 - ooops! It seems that our entry application was "not completed in time to be considered.." (?) and, as such, we are not now in the running. But we wish all the best to the successful entrants and to the organisers, and we hope all goes well for them on the day!

" In the 20 years since 1969 the Dublin administration has been drawn into the British war machine to the position since the 1985 Hillsborough Security Pact where it is now the main pillar of support for British rule in Ireland.

Two separate events within the last few months demonstrate where the politics of collaboration have led Mr Haughey: first , he refused last March to support the case being taken by the Birmingham Six to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg , then, in August , there was a deafening silence from him when 15-year-old Séamus Duffy was killed on the streets of Belfast by a plastic-bullet wielding terrorist in an RUC uniform.

To collaborate with British rule means accepting responsibility for its actions , and for Mr. Haughey apparently there is no limit to the amount of humiliation and suffering he will turn his back on , as long as it is suffered by other people, in their own country....."(MORE LATER).

From IRA killer to friend of the 'union' : Seán O'Callaghan , from Tralee , County Kerry, joined the IRA in the early 1970's and was on active service in the North , where he took part in the murder* of two RUC members. In 1975, he became disillusioned with the IRA and left to live in England , but rejoined the IRA in 1979, this time as an undercover garda informer , allegedly determined to destroy the IRA from within.

Over the following six years, he leaked information that led to the capture of the IRA gun-running ship, the 'Marita Ann' , to the frustration of an alleged IRA attempt in 1983 to kill British 'Prince' Charles and 'Princess' Diana , and to the kidnapped Don Tidey. He either personally shot dead John Corcoran in 1985 or played a major part in his murder*.

Shortly afterwards , O'Callaghan left the IRA again and then , in 1988 , he handed himself over to the British police.......(MORE LATER).